The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1887-02-05

the card of directions expressed the
substance of orthodox doctrine the
second train was On the Universalist
track, and the card of directions on it
was in accordance with the substance
of Universalist teaching.
How Christian minister can in this
age of literature and social intercourse,
be so wOfully ignorant of the cardinal
doctrines of prominent religious de-
nomination, is beyond my comprehen-
sion. This phenomenon finds its only
rational solution in the alternative of
deliberate aspersiOn. 1t was the will
full intent of this "dream" to corrupt
the mind of the congregation on the
subject of Universalism. Such intent
merits the severest castigatiOn. Pub
lie opinion is the conservatOr of our
| rights and privileges, and he who cor
rupts the purity of the public mind is
an enemy to the public good. There
are many constituents of Universalism
in the community where this slander
was uttered they are entitled to their
opinions, and no one has a right to i'm
pugn their characters and motives te-
cause of the religious faith they hold.
Universalism does not teach disobe-
dience. Obey the laws of life is the
burden of our teaching. The prime
purpose Of the Universalist church is
to teach men and women to do right,
to walk in obedience to the law Of God.
! We labor to save souls from wickedness,
vice and error; to turn them into ways
of uprightness, honesty, purity and
truthfulness. We promise no heaven
but that of good character, which is al
ways the result of right conduct; hea-
ven is not location; it is found only
in Obeying the laws Of life. We preach
the certainty Of hell in the experience
of the sinner-from that hell there is
no salvation save by obeying the right.
There is no virtue in misrepresenta-
ton. Public prejudice brings no sub
stantial advantage to any party ; it saps
the moral strength of all who are pos
sessed by it. He who creates preju-
dice in the minds of others is an enemy
to the bestinterests of society. On the
contrary, there is mighty force for
good in concert of action and mutual
confidence and good feeling, especially
in the realm of religion. The higher
motive of every denomination is to
save and protect human lives from sin
fulness and vice. We have here moth
ing to lose and everything to gain by
a generous fellowship. There is need
ed work for us all to do, and ample
room to secure us both from unpleas-
ant crOwding. We need to counsel
with each other, and exchange friendly
assistance, for the common task is to
save men and women from their evil
ways.
Men never have thought and never
will think alike on matters of religious
doctrine. On this account TO cry ''here-
sy'' is ungracious. The variety there
is in modern life makes every man
hereto on some point; the great social
unity which the diffusion of knowledge
has established in the earth makes all
men orthodox on the grand essential of
doing right. In deed, not in creed. From
hencefoTth and forevermore let us abide
and labor in mutual confidence and
helpfulness. Let there be no more
such foolish dreams related Let us all
tell plain and simple truth, and all
show ourselves strong in useful vigor,
and happy in the enjoyment of what
ever social result a widespread know
ledge of the truth will produce.
j. f. SCHNEIDER.